Reliquary memorial.



A w. GRAHAM. I .RELIQUARY MEMORIAL. APPLICATION H'LEn MAY 9, 1916.

1,203,535; I Patented Oct. 31,1916.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET] A. W. GRAHAM.

RELIQUARY MEMORIAL. PLICATION FILED Mk 1,203,535. Patented, 0'01. 31,1916.' zsuzn sssssss 2. v

' resist removal of such 80 n'nrrn srArns P TENT nron t. A

ANDREW w. GRAHAM,

TREAT,

on BUFFALO, NE YoRK, 'ASSIGNOR on ONE-HALF '10 ELLIS M.

or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

' RELIQUARY MEMORIAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

Application filed May 9, 1916. Serial No. 96,380.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW W. GRAHAM,

.a citizen of the United States of America,

cially adapted for the'reception and safe retaining of cinerary urns.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a structure of this character, wherein the ashes of-the dead maybe placed in cinerary urns and then deposlted in a receptacle or compartment located be-' low the surface of the ground, the compartment being afterward filled with plastic cement which is allowed to harden so as to urns.

: A still further important object of the invention is to provide a structure covering closures,

when the compartments are filled with the plastic cement and the latter permitted to' the compartment wherein the unoccupied compartments may be covered by removable the closures being arranged so that harden such covers can not be removed.

With the above and other objects in view,

as will be hereinafter apparent the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings,and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of'reference indicate like parts 'inthe several views, and :-Figure 1 is aside elevation of a reliquary memorial constructed in accordance with this inventlon;

F 2 is a horizontal section through such the floor plan of the a memorial showing interior; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in vertical section through one of the 'com- 7 partments showing a clnerary urn in posiafiording a stable and laststructure such as is disclosed in my Patents Nos. 1,167,291 and 1,167,292, January 4, 1916, the structure being espe-f granted 7 of thegroup of the compartments 12 1 opens through the compartment.

'tion in the compartment and the compartment filled with the plastic cement, the cover plate being in position. v

In the present embodiment of the invention, which it is to be understood as merely being typical of many of the varied forms and whlch is capable of various degrees and styles .of monumentations so that each reliquary memorial is an individual product designed and executed to harmonize withthe personality of the individual owner, I have shown a reliquary memorial, which consists of two'parts, onev of which I designate the memorial and which is abovethe ground, while the other constitutes the sepulchral portion and lies below the ground. In the present instance,.the memorial is indicated in general at A'and this memorial is constructedas set forth in my previous patents, the. masonry being of cyclopean character and the memorial being thoroughly ventilated and moisture-proof throughout.

The under ground portion of the device or sepulcher is indicated in general at B and will now be more fully described. "In the construction of the devicethere is first excavated a suitable pit to receive the foundation 10 which is of high-grade con-V crete and extending upward from this foundation is a series of walls 11,which are preferablyin the neighborhood of three inches in thickness, these walls being arranged to provide compartments 12 and extending upward tothe floor of the memorial proper A. Firmly secured bylong holding down screws 13 to the tops of these walls and 1 to the floor above the walls is a frame 14:

preferably constructed of high-grade bronze i and so arranged that it neatly covers the walls and forms a border around the edges compartments 12. Each of frame 14 and the frame is rabbeted as at 15 around the edges of each compartment. In

this manner, the frame forms asectional frame wherein each section constitutes a'finish for the top of the walls of a respective I In order to close the openings in the tops of the compartments there compartment a. plate I is provided for each 16 and depending from this plate is a roughened bar or screw 17 the plate'and bar, being both preferably formed of high-grade bronze to prevent corrosion.. These-plates 16 are intended to bear suitable inscriptions indicating the names of the persons whose ashes have been depositedbeneath the respective plates together with such other data as to their birth and death, as may suit the taste of the owner. Moreover, these plates may have such ornamentations as is desired and it is to be noted that when all of the plates are in position they form the floor of the memorial proper.

Suitably arranged within the memorial are certain niches 17 and within these niches are placed the cineraryurns 18 as shown.

It will be obvious that these niches may be arranged as desired, and that if preferred pedestals may be placed below the urns so that the construction within the memorial may conform in style and ornamentation to the construction on the exterior and to agree with the taste of the owner. It will also be obvious that these urns may be suitably carved or ornamented and may bear such inscriptions as may be desired.

The memorial proper isprovided, in the form shown, with a door 19 which is framed in bronzeand which consists preferably of single sheet of heavy plate glass, the thickness of the glass being preferably one and one-half inches. Opposite the door is a heavy plate glass window of like thickness with the door as indicated at 20 and within this plate glass window is positioned a .memorial window 21. The window 20 and door 19 both being of unbroken surfaces of plate glass, the memorial window will be properly illuminated and may be observed through both door and window while at the same time it will be protected from injury by storms or vandalism.

In some instances, I may prefer to provide a false floor for the memorial and when this is the case there is hinged at one side of the group of compartments a door or floor 22 which can be lowered into position tocover such group of compartments. This false floor may, if desired, be also made of heavy plate glass set in a suitable bronze frame so that the inscriptions on the cover plates 16 may be readily observed through the glass.

' t is to be especially noted that all of the walls and foundation portions of the structure are water-proofed and constructed throughout in accordance with my patents above-noted, so that the compartments are at all times dry.

Inv the performance of a burial ceremony in a device of this character the appropriate cover plate 16 is removed and laid aside. The cover-plate has previously, of course, received the proper inscription from the hands of the engraver. The cinerary urn 23 is then lowered into the compartment until it rests on the bottom thereof. The compartment is then filled with plastic cement as indown into the plastic cement.

dicated at 24 so that this cement completely surrounds and covers the urn 23. While the cement is plastic, the cover plate 16 is placed in position, the bar or screw 17 being forced This may cause a slight overflow of the cement which can readily be washed off in its plastic condition without injuring the bronze work of the floor. The plastic cement is then allowed to harden so that it will be impossible to remove the cover plate 16 by any of the ordinary means available to vandals.

In the event that the memorial is constructed after the burial in the ordinary manner of certain persons the casket containing these persons may be taken from the ground and deposited in the foundation of the memorial which will afford these caskets a vwater-proofed and. safe place of deposit. The balance of the memorialis then constructed as above stated so that the remains of the entire family owning the structure maybe kept in the one place.

. In the event of two persons desiring to use a common memorial asfor instance, two brothers, it is obvious that the memorial may be widened and the space between the window 21 and the nearest wall increased, the window 20 being replaced with a door similar to the door l9. In this way the window 21 acts as a partition between the two halves of the memorial, while each has its separate means of access and these means being transparent throughout still afford a clear view of the memorial window from either direction.

WVhat is claimed is:

1. A reliquary consisting of a series of vertically disposed compartments located beneath the ground and adapted to contain cinerary urns, said compartments being arranged to be filled with plastic cement, and closures irremovably secured to the cement, said closures being connected to the cement while the latter is plastic and fixed thereto while the latter is hardened.

2. A reliquary comprising a series of vertically disposed compartments adapted to contain cinerary urns, said compartments being located with their lower ends below the'ground, a metallic frame seated on the upper end of thereliquary and fixedly attached thereto, said frame being provided with closure seats, cover plates for the compartments arranged to be seated in the 010- sure seats, and means depending from the cover plate for attachment to a plastic 'cement filling for said compartment.

3. A reliquary comprising a series of vertically disposed compartments adapted to contain cinerary urns, said compartments being located with their lower ends below the ground, a metallic frame seated on the upper end of the reli'quary and fixedly attached thereto, said. frame being provided with closure seats, cover plates for the c0mpart-- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature ments arranged to be seated in the closure in presence of two Witnesses. seats, means depending from the cover plate ANDREW W GRAHAM for attachment to a plastic cement filling for said compartment and a transparent cover Witnesses:

arranged to extend over all of said compart- HELE MURRAY, ments and cover plates. ALBERT POPKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

